1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor packaging. In particular, the present invention relates to a separate interposer structure which may be utilized in a semiconductor package to increase the total input/output capabilities of the semiconductor package.
2. Background Information
As a result of continuing improvements in semiconductor technology, the specified number of input/output (I/O) leads required to be connected to silicon dies continues to increase. Current designs of standard external lead packages, such as a quad flat package (QFP), thin quad flat package (TQFP) or thin small outline package (TSOP) are not well suited or easily adaptable for the increased number of I/O leads that current state of the art dies require. Furthermore, external lead packages are still utilized in many electronic devices and many manufacturers do not desire to completely redesign their current motherboard layouts to accommodate semiconductor packages having increased I/O specifications. Moreover, die I/O requirements are even out pacing many of the current land pattern package I/O capabilities, such as micro leadframe packages currently utilized my many electronic manufacturers.
It would be desirable to provide a device which allows a standard external lead package or a land pattern package to be retrofitted with additional exposed leads or pads/lands to accommodate modern dies having a greater number of I/O's than the original number of I/O's of which the standard external lead package or land pattern package was originally designed to accommodate.
It would also be desirable to provide a semiconductor package which maintains the current QFP, TQFP, TSOP, or micro leadframe design specifications, yet, is still able to accommodate increased I/O specifications that modern dies require.